PTA gave 3 cellular firms 6 months to improve and maintain service quality

• PTA gave three cellular firms six months to improve and maintain service quality according to KPIs.
• The Authority issued show cause notices to three operators for failing to achieve or exceed QoS standards.
• The PTA believes that the licensee must meet the QoS requirements outlined in the licence conditions and other enabling statutory provisions.

Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) gave three cellular firms six months to improve and maintain service quality according to KPIs, however no penalty was issued.

After the deadline, an on-site survey will be conducted to measure KPIs, and noncompliance will result in additional action.

The Authority issued show cause notices (SCN) to three operators for failing to achieve or exceed Quality of Service (QoS) standards under their licences and KPIs.

Coastal Highway, Gwadar City, and Surbandar Port Area were surveyed from 6-9 December 2021 to test the licensee’s QoS performance. QoS KPIs dropped in the survey. The licensees were instructed to optimise and expand the network in the surveyed areas based on the survey results.

Licensees said the network was optimised to boost services. Contrary to licensee claims, a re-verification survey conducted in the abovementioned locations during 7-10 March 2022 reveals QoS KPI noncompliance.

Since the above QoS results were not within the licence conditions and QoS Regulations, show-cause notices were issued requiring licensees to remedy the contravention by bringing and maintaining the required standards of quality of service within fifteen days and to explain in writing within thirty days of the issuance of the notices.

Licensees filed a compliance report in response to SCN. The licensees said it complies with QoS standards in the licence. The licensees responded to the SCN’s report.

The Act requires the Authority to regulate the establishment, operation, and maintenance of telecommunication systems in Pakistan. The Authority can enforce and supervise licences under section 5(2)(b) of the Act.

According to the Authority’s licence, the licensee must meet quality-of-service standards. To enforce and monitor the licence, the Authority is authorised to conduct a QoS survey to determine compliance with KPIs for QoS requirements as stipulated in the licence and applicable regulations.

In accordance with clause 23.7 of part 6 of the Rules, regulation 10 of the regulation, and sub-regulation of regulation 6 of the QoS Regulations, the Authority, with or without notice, conducts its own surveys and tests, makes surprise checks through its designated officers, or conducts performance audits of the licensee’s quality of service from time to time to ensure that users of telecommunication services get the quality of service outlined in the QoS Regulations.

Considering the aforementioned, the Authority believes that the licensee must meet the Quality of Service requirements outlined in the licence conditions and other enabling statutory provisions.

In light of the record, it has been observed that the licensee (China Mobile Pakistan Limited) has taken emergency measures for arranging additional/ extra bandwidth to remain compliant for the provision of licenced services in accordance with KPIs for quality of service and also ensured seamless services in the future. Therefore, the Authority, taking into account the efforts on the part of the licensee, hereby grants six months time.

Regarding Telenor Pakistan, PTA stated that based on the record, the licensee has taken emergency measures to arrange additional/extra bandwidth to remain compliant for the provision of licenced services in accordance with KPIs for quality of service and to ensure seamless services in the future. Considering the licensee’s efforts, the Authority grants a six-month extension.

Regarding Pakistan Mobile Communication Limited, the Authority order noted that considering the licensee’s efforts to make alternative bandwidth arrangements through Optic Fiber Cable (OFC) Connectivity and other steps, the Authority grants six months, beginning from the date of receipt of this order, for improving and maintaining quality of service standards as per applicable KPIs. After the deadline, an on-site survey will measure service quality, and disobedience will result in additional action.

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